Microsoft renews its commitment to education

Microsoft has renewed their commitment for the next five years to the Partners …

Microsoft has renewed their commitment for the next five years to the Partners in Learning program. Partners in Learning is a program that provides resources and training to the education community to enable students to reach their full potential. It is a key education initiative under Microsoft Unlimited Potential, the company’s commitment to creating sustained social and economic opportunity for everyone.

Over the last 15 years since its launch in 2003, Partners in Learning has touched the lives of more than 90 million students, teachers as well as education policymakers in 101 countries. Microsoft wants to triple the impact of its programs over the next five years.

Partners in Learning’s consists of three core programs: Innovative Teachers, Innovative Students and Innovative Schools.

The Innovative Teachers program includes one of the world’s largest
online collaboration portals for educators, as well as a series of worldwide
conferences to bring teachers together to share ideas and reward
exceptional teaching practices.

The Innovative Students program provides affordable, reliable software to
qualifying governments to purchase Windows-based PCs for primary and
secondary students’ personal use at home.

The Innovative Schools program sees Microsoft working with governments, educators
and partners to deliver expert guidance in holistic school reform, and also
a road map for technology integration to help schools meet their
education objectives.

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, says, “Microsoft has always believed that education is the cornerstone of opportunity, and that investing in education is the best way to help young people achieve their potential. Partners in Learning is one of the ways Microsoft works with governments and schools around the world to help teachers use technology in the classroom to make learning exciting and relevant for the 21st century.”

This announcement represents a new investment of $235.5 million bringing the company’s total 10-year commitment in Partners in Learning to nearly $500 million.